Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 223) seniors HIP FRACTURES Unlucky breaks In the United States more than 350,000 hip fractures occur each year, and are especially common among elderly men and women. What happens when you have an unlucky break? By Karen I. Montemayor DID YOU KNOW? Hip fractures are more common in women because they have less bone mass than men, and because they lose bone mass more quickly. A s you might have guessed, a hip fracture is a break in the bones of your hip. It can happen at any age, although it’s more common in people age 65 and older. As you get take good care of yourself. Your doctor will tell you when you should try to stand or walk after surgery. At first it may be painful to walk, and you may need to use a walker or cane for support. During your recovery, you may need to see a physical therapist. In physical therapy, you’ll learn to sit, stand and walk without reinjuring your hip. You’ll also learn exercises to help you get stronger. When you return home after surgery, you may need some help from a home nurse, family member or friend with daily tasks such as bathing, cooking and shopping. If you don’t have enough help at home, you may need to stay in an extended care facility during your recovery. older, the inside of your bones becomes porous from a loss of calcium (called “losing bone mass”). This weakens the bones and makes them more likely to break. A bad trip Hip fractures among older adults are usually caused by a fall. (See “Staying on your feet” on page 220.) Younger adults may experience severe trauma to the hip — for example, as a result of a sports injury or a car accident — that causes a hip fracture. If you fracture your hip, you’ll have severe pain in your hip or groin. Your hip may be bruised or swollen. You may not be able to put any weight on your leg on the injured side. Your leg may also look shorter than usual, and your foot may be turned outward. Any time you fall and can’t get up or put weight on your leg, call 911 or your family doctor right away. You need to be checked for a hip fracture. Doctors may need to do an x-ray to be sure. Beware of complications The complications from a hip fracture can be serious, or even life-threatening. Your doctor will closely monitor your recovery in case any complications develop. After a hip fracture, you’re at risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (also called DVT). This is especially true if you’re immobile for a long period of time after your surgery, or if you are in traction. DVT is a blood clot in a vein deep inside your body. These clots usually occur in your leg veins. If the blood clot breaks away and travels through your bloodstream, it could block a blood vessel in your lungs. This blockage (called a pulmonary embolism) can be fatal. Karen I. Montemayor is a senior associate editor with the American Academy of Family Physicians, headquartered in Leawood, Kan. OTHER POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS FROM IMMOBILITY AFTER HIP SURGERY PRESSURE SORES PNEUMONIA LOSS OF MUSCLE TISSUE URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS Treating a hip fracture Most people who have a hip fracture need surgery to make sure the break heals the way it should. Your doctor will discuss your surgery options with you. Usually, the type of surgery you have will depend on what part of your hip is fractured, how severely it’s fractured and your age. Some people can’t have hip surgery because of an illness or other health problem that makes surgery too risky. If your doctor doesn’t think it’s safe for you to have surgery, you may be put into traction. Traction is a device that keeps you immobile for a long period of time. During this time, traction puts constant tension on your hip to help heal the fracture. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The road to recovery Recovering from a hip fracture takes a lot of time and patience. You’ll get better faster if you follow your doctor’s instructions and American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org MayoClinic.com http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hip-fracture/DS00185 familydoctor 2007 223 http://familydoctor.org http://www.MayoClinic.com http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hip-fracture/DS00185
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